Mary Ward Secondary

Mary Ward Secondary

Mary Ward Secondary (MWS) offers an Education Support Program for students in Years 7- 12. MWS is staffed by experienced and qualified staff with a passion for working with students with special educational needs. Staff develop personalised programs that are tailored to meet student's individual needs. Programs are created to ensure that students have the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and understanding in a range of different contexts. Students are engaged in different programs that aim to develop and build skills necessary for future employment and ultimately participation in the wider community.

Literacy and Numeracy - Students work on individualised programs according to their literacy and numeracy needs. They participate in dedicated literacy time and engage in a range of motivating activities throughout the school day aimed at developing their literacy skills. Numeracy skills and concepts are taught using meaningful everyday experiences, where students are guided through everyday tasks involving functional maths, such as money skills.

Community Access - Students in Years 7 - 9 attend Community Access once a fortnight, travelling to Floreat Forum by school bus. Each student has a shopping list from which they must navigate the supermarket, purchase and complete transactions. To foster social interaction students have money to buy a drink from a local café. In Years 10- 12, Community Access incorporates a range of lifeskills such as catching public transport bus and train, engaging with community services such as TAFE, local libraries. Throughout Community Access in Years 7 -12 students apply appropriate social skills in public and apply skills they learn in the classroom to real life contexts.

Health and Physical Education - Health in the Mary Ward Secondary is focused on lifeskills and independent living. The emphasis is on enabling students to be as independent as possible at home and in the community. It is imperative for students to develop knowledge and skills which will equip them to make healthy lifestyle choices. Students participate in the People First Program for six weeks which develops knowledge and understanding of protective behaviours.

Students participate in mainstream Physical Education with their peers as well as targeted programs within the Mary Ward Secondary.

Students participate in ACC Inclusive sporting events throughout the year, including bowling, swimming, athletics, indoor soccer and the annual fun run.

Individual students attend small group fitness sessions at the school gym and can attend weekly horse-riding.

Each day, students participate in Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) sessions. FMS are the movement patterns that involve many different body parts. They are the foundation movement patterns to more specialised, complex skills used in play, games and sport.

FMS skills focus on three categories:

  • Body management; eg- Rolling, stopping, twisting, balancing
  • Locomotion Skills; eg-crawling, running, walking, hopping
  • Object Control Skills ; eg- throwing, catching, striking

These sessions are essential in promoting concentration, learning, physical and mental wellbeing.

Transition - In Years 10 - 12 focus is geared toward transition curriculum which is aimed at preparing students with the skills and competencies to support a life of independence, contribution and fulfilment post school.

Business Enterprise (Years 10 - 12) - The focus of this course is participation in school based business activities that incorporate literacy and numeracy skills. The students have the opportunity to offer a product or a service. This could be for a special event or an established school business. Students consider and select business ideas appropriate to their school environment. They learn about business procedures and develop skills used in the business environment. Students have the opportunity to develop interpersonal and business skills, work in a team, learn how to behave responsibly and demonstrate integrity.

Work Experience (Years 10 - 12)

This course begins in Year 10 and students participate in a minimum of a three hour work placement per week. The hours build up overtime and by Year 12 students are usually placed in work settings up to eight to ten hours per week. The goal of this program is for students to gain the experience of working in different environments where they develop and practise workplace skills and realise their specific interests.

Students may participate in Work Experience Placements at the following locations:

  • ParaQuod Industries
  • Goodwill Industries
  • Bunnings
  • Coles
  • Farmer Jacks
  • Herdsman Fresh
  • St Vincent De Pauls Shop
  • Good Samaritan Shop
  • Royal Life Saving WA
  • Perth HomeCare Services
  • School Canteen
  • School Library
  • School Chapel